Ambitious, Not Stupid
by Blazen
Summary: What if Hans was not a typical Disney villain, but actually a smart guy? Obviously, he can't just succeed a royal family that's been here for generations with both the heiresses dead! So, the story starts when Hans leans in to kiss Anna on the couch and then it goes AU. The story will mainly focus on Hans and Elsa as more complex characters. Pairings? I'm not sure
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_Hans trying to kill both Elsa and Anna just doesn't make sense to me. What if he was not a typical Disney villain, but actually a smart guy? Obviously, he can't just succeed a royal family that's been here for generations with both the heiresses dead! _

_So, the story starts when Hans leans in to kiss Anna on the couch and then it goes AU._

* * *

**Hans' POV**

"She froze my heart and only an act of true love can save me." Anna's voice was desperate, pleading. He could see it in her eyes – fear of being frozen to death, sadness at what her sister has done and burning hope that he can fix it all.

"A true love's kiss," assumed Hans. So that was the reason she begged him to kiss her in front of half her household.

Hans couldn't help but feel sorry for the princess and the queen both, but he mentally shook himself. He needed a clear head to access the situation and decide on the best course of action. He clasped Anna's cheek tenderly to give himself some time to think.

His immediate concern was Anna's health, with Elsa's powers getting out of control being the close second. But maybe... just maybe this two problems could be solved together. While Elsa did hurt Anna somehow, she obviously didn't know about it yet. Seeing her sister hurt may give the queen an incentive to tame her powers, but most likely it would just upset her greatly and cause more damage to the kingdom. So he had to try to heal Anna.

He leaned in to kiss the princess. Magic was a tricky thing, and one he had no intimate knowledge of. Seeing as it was Anna's heart being frozen though, maybe she just needed to believe in them being 'in love' for the kiss to work.

Anna's lips were extremely cold and chapped and they barely moved under his. Either the girl was too unwell to do it properly or it was her first kiss, most likely both. Finally they had to break apart. He looked at the princess as her eyelids fluttered open.

"I don't feel much better, Hans." Her voice was weak, barely a whisper. "Maybe we should try again".

He sighed. He should have known. There was never an easy shortcut when something like magic was involved.

"No, princess, I don't think it will work," said Hans. He stood up and went to add more wood to the fireplace.

"What then?" The desperation was back in Anna's voice. Her eyes suddenly grew wide and she gasped weakly. "Maybe we should..." she faltered. "Should we... lay together?"

"No!" He always prided himself on his self-control, but taking to bed an ill, dying maiden with cold skin? What a preposterous thought! It was not his idea of fun, not at all.

Obviously he had little choice now. He could kill Elsa and hope it ends the curse. But it was no guarantee, seeing as his understanding of magic just proved to be sorely lacking. What if he kills Elsa but Anna still dies and the winter continues? The people of Arendelle may crown him as their king – they were _that_ helpless it seemed, but why would he want to rule a frozen wasteland?

And if Elsa's death breaks the curse? Will Anna ever forgive him for killing her sister? And with Anna either dead or loathing him he could as well go back to the Southern Isles with his tail between his legs and try to explain to His Majesty, his brother Henrich, how had he managed to completely ruin their relations with Arendelle.

"Hans!" His musings were interrupted by Anna's voice. Her eyes were half-lidded, her skin deathly pale.

"I'm sorry My Princess," he said, "but I can't help you this way."

Noticing her shivering, he lifted her in his arms and put her as close to the fireplace as he dared. Then he covered her with a blanket making sure it didn't touch the fire.

"Why, Hans?" He could see light leaving her eyes, her hope extinguished. "Why didn't it work?"

He shook his head sadly. There was only one hope for Anna now and he had to try. And if it didn't work … well, he had enough gold to pay for the best and fastest sled in this god-forsaken kingdom if it came to that.

"I found a way to save you, Anna! Don't give up hope!" He said trying to appear like he just got an excellent idea.

He bolted upright and threw open the door starting the royal housekeeper, Gerda, who was waiting respectfully ten steps from the door.

"What is it, Your Highness?" she looked agitated. "Is Princess Anna alright?"

"No, Gerda," he said and the woman gasped. "Anna is sick and probably dying."

"Is it...is it because of Queen Elsa, Your Highness?" Gerda asked in dismay.

"I'm afraid so," he nodded. Suddenly, Hans approached the woman and took her by the shoulders.

"I need you to get as many blankets as you can find and cover Princess Anna with them. And you should probably hold her in your arms until I'm back," he implored.

Gerda shook her head. "What will you do, Your Highness?"

"I will bring the Queen here. I believe it was not her intention to hurt her sister, and maybe she will know how to heal Princess Anna."

Leaving Gerda to her duties, Hans made for the dungeons at a brisk pace. He may not understand how ice magic worked but Elsa lived with her powers for years. She ought to know more about them than she lets on.

The stakes in this game were getting higher and higher and Hans almost regretted ever bumping into Anna that day on the dock. But no, he was not a coward. He will see this venture to an end. And should he succeed – well, the reward better be worth it!

* * *

**A/N: **_Next time Elsa's POV. And I promise, there will be a next time!_

_Anna may seem way too helpless to you here, but remember, there is no anger at Hans to give her strength this time._


	2. Chapter 2

**Elsa's POV**

'Be a good girl, be a good girl, be a good girl' a voice of her father was chanting in her head. It was not much different really. A dungeon cell instead of her lavish room, irons covering her hands instead of her usual gloves and despair, the same familiar feeling of helplessness overcoming her.

Her sense of freedom, a breath of fresh air, 'letting go' – all illusions, a brief reprieve from her ever bleak existence. She was a bad girl, and now the whole kingdom had to suffer for her mistake. She should have never accepted the crown, Anna would be much better queen than her. People obviously loved Anna while they hated and feared Elsa, 'the witch', 'the monster', 'the ice queen'.

Then she became ashamed of her selfishness. Anna has not returned yet, she may be hurt or lost somewhere. She hurt her little sister, again. Her father was surely turning in his grave seeing how she failed him so completely. She gazed mournfully at her ironed hands, now fully covered with frost.

Suddenly there was a commotion at the door, shouts, sounds of struggle and finally something like wood cracking. Startled, she got to her feet and tugged at her chains. Iron took much longer to freeze than water or even cloth, so her manacles stayed in place.

Finally the door was opened and prince Hans entered her cell. He looked ruffled and was limping slightly.

"What is going on?" she asked still straining her chains.

"It seems Duke of Weselton set his dogs on you again," he answered with barely contained anger. "I shouldn't have stopped you from killing them."

"No! No, you did the right thing," said Elsa. "I would have never forgiven myself if I did it."

"Well, then you will be glad to know that the time I wasted on them just now may cost Anna her life!"

"What?!" She cried, frightened. "What's wrong with Anna?"

"She is freezing up, Your Majesty," answered the prince, visibly getting himself under control, "quite literally I might add."

"No," Elsa moaned. If she thought things there bad before, now it was much worse. She gasped for breath, bent over, pulling at her bindings with no avail. She did it, she killed her sister. In the back of her mind she noted thick layer of ice spreading beneath her feet.

Without any warning her head was thrown to the side, her cheek stinging from the sharp blow. At the same moment irons on her hands finally shattered, shards of metal falling to the floor. Her panic momentarily forgotten she gaped at prince Hans, whose gloved hand was still raised, stern expression on his face.

"Are you quite finished, Your Majesty?" he asked.

Pursing her lips, Elsa nodded. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears, but she blinked them away. She didn't need any more words to know what to do.

"Now that I'm free," she stepped away from the broken pieces of iron, "I will see to my sister!"

And Elsa strode out of her cell regally, her face set with new determination. She is not a child anymore, she is not helpless, she will not let Anna die!

* * *

She did not see Hans silently motioning to the guards behind her back to lower their weapons as he followed her, keeping careful distance.


End file.
